When I discovered The Little Book of Hygge (on a shelf in the laundry room in my apartment building where people share books), I was curious to read how hygge (hoo-ga) could be applied to other cultures and whether it could inform our self-care practices.

Hygge is a Danish/Norwegian word that means wellbeing; a sense of comfort and togetherness; coziness and wellbeing. It’s a feeling or mood that is created from making everyday experiences more meaningful and/or beautiful. It sounds like the perfect recipe for self-care but would it work where I live in North America?

Meik Wiking, the author of The Little Book of Hygge is the CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen, Denmark. He cites many ways to bring hygge into your life but why would the Danes be the experts? First of all, Denmark typically...